Comment:

Don't let Norma Khouri hoodwink you

Yasmin Perera suggests the Sinhala translation of "Forbidden Love" be banned from the shelves

I was browsing among the stalls in the recent International Book Fair, impressed by the number and variety of English books that have been translated, and made available to readers here. Then one just hit me in the face, the English title of this was Forbidden Love. I had read this in Australia where I normally reside. It was truly one of the most gripping books I had ever read.

Author Norma Kouri wrote it as a real account of her life in Jorden. The book tells the story of how she and her friend Dalia, a Muslim woman, opened a unisex hair salon in Amman in the early 1990s.

Dalia fell in love with a Christian man, Michael, who frequented the salon. Despite the innocence of the affair, Dalia was brutally stabbed to death by her father in 1996. This was described as an act of honour killing. Khouri claimed she fled Jordan after this atrocity, fearing for her own life, eventually making her way to Australia. When I read the book I was shocked beyond words to hear what she had gone through, and saw her as a truly courageous woman an incredible heroine.

The book was a hit. The Australian press reported that it was voted one of the countrys 100 favourite books of all time. However, they went on to say that investigations by a Jordanian journalist and Australias Sydney Morning Herald had revealed the book to be a hoax.

They showed that Kouri did not live in Jordan in the years the events were said to have taken place. In fact she was reared and lived in Chicago, and was in a violent marriage and had two children.

To cap it all she was supposed to have been involved in fraudulent and violent activities. One was to fraudulently transfer her mother's house into her name, and borrow against it.

I was absolutely stunned to hear this, as were publishers, writers and all those who had listened to Norma Khouri talk about her life at the various publicity events or read the book. I too heard her speak.

She spoke so authentically, so expressively that is was hard to understand how she could possibly act this way if the story was not true.

Many bought the book because they thought it was true. Norma Khouri denied that the book was a lie for several weeks then finally admitted it was really a piece of fiction but it was acceptable to write it claiming it to be true. The book was taken off the shelves in many places. I had a great sense of betrayal. Norma Khouri had betrayed my trust in her credibility.

I am writing this because to read this book as a true story, would mean that Norma Khouri will have admiration and glory bestowed upon her, that she has no right to and does not deserve. I did not want that to happen. I believe books are often powerful in their influence and the experience of reading is precious. Hence writers have a responsibility to act with honesty and integrity. Norma Kouri did not do this.

I find myself in a dilemma, here is a new Sinhala book whether true or fiction the story is a good read - just launched in Sri Lanka. Morally I would like to say "take it off the shelves like Australia and the U.S. did."

The copyright laws in Sri Lanka are not rigorous, otherwise the truth might have come to light before the book was published. Now there is an enthusiastic translator Dileepa Jayakody, who was captivated by the book, translated it and got it published. Presumably he could stand to lose money if the book was not sold.

My solution is to say if you read the book, know that the claims in the story are not true, and the author hoodwinked the public in great style. Norma Khouri was a colossal actress who successfully fooled even highly reputed publishers like Random House in Australia.

The only way I can think to address this complex situation is for the publishers to put a note inside the book to say that it has come to their attention that the story is not true.